Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Anne With An E. The characters belong to Lucy Maud Montgomery. This is just a little rewrite of the Billy Andrews character. He was a bit too shitty in the show. In the books he is actually a bit shy as he matures. I wanted to give him more dimension. I always wondered what it would be like to have him actually fall for Anne while knowing he could never have her.
The morning walk to school was beautiful. The crispness in the air, the smell of dried up leaves and the lovely sounds they made as I walked to school that morning all enveloped my senses. I was wondering what we would learn in school that morning. Hoping the girls would accept me back after my misspoken words. Oh, why did I never think before I spoke. 'Word vomit' the Matron at the orphanage called it. I was watching the sun move through the trees and admiring the beauty of the woods when it happened.
"Hey, orphan. You and me? We're gonna talk." I see the boy in front of me and know he's in my class, but I cannot remember his name. "Me? I'm sorry. I'm Anne. And you are?" The boy looks at me incredulously as if he cannot believe I do not know him or why he seems so cross with me. "I know who you are, you dumb dog! I am Billy. Billy Andrews." 'Oh no!' I think to myself. "I can see by the stupid way you look at me, I should explain further. You said some nasty, vulgar things about my sister, Prissy, you dirty orphan!" Billy was starting to scare me so I backed away, and of course being as graceful as I am, I fell onto my back.
He stood over me, watching me as if I was some wounded animal. I was expecting him to help me up. Isn't that what people do when they see someone fall? His eyes looked contemplative then shifted to disgusted. He dropped on top of me as I struggled to break free. Billy grabbed my wrists with his hands and pinned them above my head. "What are you doing? Let me go! You're hurting me!" He sneered at me, "Now you know what you put my sister through. She cried herself to sleep, do you know that? The lies you spread about my sweet sister, Prissy, they broke her spirit. So, I am gonna break yours." He brought his face closer to mine as I stiffened up at his malicious speech.
He finally let go of my wrists so that he could use his hands. He began to breathe heavier as he tried molesting me through my jacket. I just laid there, limp as a ragdoll, silently begging for someone to save me. I felt his hand leave my body. He lightly stroked my cheek as if he were a great love seeing his beloved for the first time. He grabbed my chin and turned my head to face him and forced a kiss to my mouth. "Kiss back." he demanded. I shook my head and a few tears betrayed me by escaping from my eyes. He looked at me with disgust then shook his head as if waking himself up. He scoffed, then finally got up from atop of me. He backed away wiping his mouth.
I couldn't believe this boy had just stolen my first kiss. My kiss that I was saving for my true love wherever he may be. "You'd better not go around telling anyone about what we just did. I've got a reputation to uphold. Understand?" He said it with a shaking voice, was it possible that he regretted his actions. "I won't. I promise." I sounded like a totally different person. "Listen An-, uh, I mean, orphan, just stop talking about Prissy. Apologize to her and I'll forget this ever happened." Billy rubbed the back of his neck as if he were suddenly bashful. He picked up his bookstrap and waited for me to stand up and grab mine before he turned to head to school. That's when we heard, "Hey, Billy!"
"Blythe! You're back. Hey, bud!" I watched as the new boy and Billy interacted. The new boy looked over Billy's shoulder seeing me swiping crushed leaves off my skirt. He arched his eyebrow inquisitively over me. "What are you doing? Playing a game? We really should get to school, don't you think?" Billy said his goodbyes to the boy and looked over at me as if warning me again. I grabbed my bookstrap then walked past the boy. "You okay, miss?" he asked sweetly. I say I am fine as I walk faster.
If this boy is friends with Billy Andrews, I don't want anything to do with him. He stays behind me at a short distance. I hear him as we get closer to the schoolhouse, "Need anything else? Any dragons around here that need slaying?" I just want to get to school. "No, thank you!" He catches up to me just before I ascend the steps to school. I thank him again. We enter the cloakroom and I introduce myself, but before he can say his name, the whole class yells out in unison, "GILBERT!" He smiles at me as he enters the classroom being surrounded by the boys. I sit at my desk as I overhear one of the boys ask Gilbert, "Why were you talking with that orphan?" He looks over at me and I hear him say, "I don't care who she is. A cute girl is a cute girl." I can feel myself blush in embarrassment.
The girls are still angry with me. Apparently now Ruby Gillis is upset because I was talking to Gilbert Blythe and she 'has dibs' on him because she has liked him for a long time. I tell them I have no interest in him and that we just happened to walk into school at the same time. Diane seems torn between being my friend and not wanting to anger the other girls. At lunch I tell her it's fine that she sits with the other girls. I go outside and sit by the small stream where everyone keeps their milk jugs while I eat my lunch. I hear someone approach me from behind.
The person kneels down close to me and I can see them get there milk jug from the cold stream. "You're alone. Why?" it's Billy. Why is he talking to me like we are friends. "Leave me alone, please. Everyone hates me. I get it." He sighs and gets up but doesn't immediately move. I can feel him staring at me and my face reddens. "I'm sorry for earlier. It wasn't any better than what you did to Prissy. I just wanted to say that." I turned around with tears in my eyes to look at him, but he had already walked away. I bit my bottom lip. That boy. There's something odd about him. Like he has split personalities or something.
I continue eating my lunch when I hear the other boy Gilbert, "Hey. You're not inside with the girls. Why?" Oh, great. Just what I need! "Go away." I say out the side of my mouth. "I'm sorry? What was that?" he said as he got closer. "I'm not allowed to talk to you. Please, leave me be." He looked confused and then turned to see all of the girls watching us from the window. "Ah, I see. I just wanted to give you one of my apples. They're from the orchard on our farm." Anne did not turn around, instead, she jumped up and left him standing there, apple in hand.
After lunch, school presumed. Mr. Phillips was writing on the blackboard. I was trying to focus but I could hear Gilbert trying to get my attention. He threw a piece of crumpled paper at me, and I continued ignoring him. He wouldn't give up and I was starting to get tired of his teasing me. I watched as he pretended to pick the paper up as he stealthily placed his apple on my desk. 'Okay, go away now.' I thought to myself, but he didn't. He called me my most hated nickname in the world; one the Matron called me on a daily basis because she knew I hated my hair color. "Carrots." When I still did not look at him, he grabbed my braid pulling it as he repeated the tormenting name. I snapped. I don't know what came over me! I stood up and slapped him with my slate, breaking it in two.
The whole class gasped in equal parts shock and horror as Mr. Phillips yelled for me, "Anne Shirley! You come up here this instant!" I hung my head in shame as I slowly made my way to the teacher. "It was my fault, sir. I teased her." I heard the horrible boy plead. "That is no excuse. Anne, you will write exactly what I write here on the chalk board. Exactly how I write it, ten times and then sit on this stool with the dunce cap!" I could hear my fellow classmates snickering. My ears became as red as my horrid hair. I gasped as I read what Mr. Phillips wrote.
I, Ann Shirley, will not behave like a savage." Ann? Ann? No "E" at the end? He could not possibly expect me to write that! He handed me the chalk with a sneer and forced me to face the board. I stood there, holding the chalk, fighting back the tears. "Come now. We haven't got all day Miss Shirley!" More laughter from behind me pushed me to my breaking point. "No!" I screamed as I threw the chalk down and sprinted out of the schoolhouse, hearing my name being yelled by my teacher and a few others. I ran through the woods, turning down the wrong lane, and became lost. I came upon a crooked wooden structure in the woods. It looked like a hastily made shelter. I entered and dropped to the ground, curling up for warmth. I had left my things at the school. Classic, Anne Shirley.
It was getting darker, colder but still I didn't move. I would definitely be sent back now. I assaulted a boy in class and defied my teacher. My eyes grew heavy and suddenly I was asleep. I don't know how much time had passed, but woke to the sound of dogs barking and the faint sound of my name being called. I heard somebody approaching the shelter and fiegned sleep. I felt a warm body kneel next to me. The person put two fingers to the pulse in my neck then sighed with relief. I felt them shake me slightly then whisper my name. I slowly opened my eyes and saw no other than Billy Andrews. The fear on my face must have been plain to see because he looked ashamed at himself remembering why his face would instill fear in me. "Look, Anne. I know you hate me, but I am just here to help you home. The whole town is looking for you." I begin to cry. He puts a comforting arm around me. I should push him away, but I don't.
"It's alright. They aren't mad or nothing. Just worried. Come on. Let me help you up." I let him help me. I should hate him. I don't. I mean, I don't particularly like him, but it isn't hate. He sees me shivering and gives me his coat. Putting his arm around my waist, I lean on him for, not only support, but warmth. We make our way back to the pathway towards Green Gables. "Hey! I found her! Hurry! She's freezing cold and very weak!" Billy yelled out for the closest group to hear. That's when I fainted and the next thing I knew, he was carrying me. "Oh! Anne! Is she dead?" It was my bosom friend, Diana Barry, with Billy's sisters, Jane and Prissy. "Don't be daft. Of course she's not dead. I think because of the cold and her being so weak, her body couldn't handle it. She fainted." The first group they came upon was Matthew, Mr. Lynde, and Mr. Andrews. "Oh, son. Thank God you found her. Place her in the wagon. Cover her with the blankets. Stay with her and get some blankets on you as well." Billy's father ordered. "You're gonna be okay, Anne. Marilla and Rachel are back at Green Gables. They'll set you right." I heard my lovely Matthew say.
The girls jumped in the wagon as Billy handed me up to them and followed soon after. "Lay her down next to me girls." Diana said. "No, she is gonna sit up next to me. I have to get her warm. You heard my father." Billy pulled me up next to him and placed his arm around my shoulders as the girls pulled blankets up around us. It should have felt scandalous, but I was so cold and the heat coming off of him was helping tremendously. The warmth radiated around us under the blankets and the rocking of the wagon lulled me to sleep. His heart was beating fast, but it was probably from carrying me.
The wagon pulled up to the house, and I heard Marilla and Rachel cry out in horror. "Is she dead? Oh, Lord, no!" Matthew cried out, "For Heaven's sake. She's not dead." Billy nudged me. I looked up into his blue eyes and he smiled. "Do I look that bad that everyone thinks I'm dead?" I said causing him and the girls to laugh. "I'd say her humor is still intact, so no. Not dead at all." Rachel Lynde said as she laughed and hugged Marilla. "Do you think you can walk or do you want me to carry you still?" Billy teased. I elbowed him in his side causing him to guffaw. He scooted out of the wagon, and the girls helped me to the edge as Billy grabbed me around the waist and helped me down. Matthew picked me up in a tight hug. "Don't ever scare us like that again. Thank you for finding her, Billy." Billy nodded and tipped his cap to Matthew. Everyone followed us into the house. Bit by bit, the rest of the search parties made their way back.
We all sat down, a few of us enjoying hot stew and warm cider. Prissy Andrews was sitting across from me. "Prissy?" I begin and she looks up from her cup. "Yes, Anne?" she watched me. "I just wanted to apologize for the other day. I misspoke. I only repeated the vulgar explanation I was told by a lady I lived with. I don't know why I said it. I guess I was trying to get the girls to accept me, but I have what the Matron at the orphanage called 'word vomit' meaning, I just don't think before I speak." Prissy looked at me as if she understood. "Thank you. It really hurt me, your, um, word vomit." We all giggled as she said the word. Prissy stood up and walked over to where I sat. She bent down and hugged me. "I forgive you, Anne. Let's be friends, okay?" She smiled at me then walked back to her seat.
Billy watched the interaction between me and Prissy, and I saw him smile as he looked down to take another bite of stew. Maybe I could be friends with him too. I mean, he did save my life. Gilbert Blythe was talking with Dr. Spencer and Mr. Lynde, but he kept looking over at me. It was very unnerving and so I told Diana who was seated next to me, "He keeps staring at me." Diana looked over at Billy Andrews. "Not him. Gilbert Blythe. Do you think he's plotting revenge for the slate incident? I mean, he pulled my braid and called me that horrible name." Diana smiled at me, "Gilbert Blythe is not the revenge type. If anything, he is probably trying to figure out how to apologize to you." Billy snickered, "Oh, yes. He's the perfect gentleman. Probably planning your whole future together. What do you say, Anne? Sounds like a dream, huh? The most loved and perfect boy in all of Prince Edward Island. Quite a prize." He put his spoon down, and got up from the table to walk outside.
Jane and Prissy looked at each other and then excused themselves. "We should be going. Umm, we'll see at school, okay, Anne." Prissy said as Jane waved goodbye and they left in the direction their brother went. "What was that all about, Anne?" I had no clue what just happened so I just shrugged my shoulders. "Oh. I see." Diana explained further when I looked confused. "He likes you, Anne." I just stared at her waiting for further information. "Billy Andrews. He likes you and is jealous because if Gilbert Blythe likes you, then he feels like he has no chance with you. Don't you see?" I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of being liked that way by not one, but two boys! I mean, just that morning, Billy accosted me, called me names, and stole my first kiss. Now he has apologized, saved my life, and developed a crush on me? What universe am I in?